Virender Sehwag, who yesterday scored the fastest triple hundred in history, said that the hurt of being dropped from the India Test squad last year had motivated him in his epic innings which has so far lasted more than eight hours.

He will resume his second career triple hundred today on 309 with India 468 for one in their first innings in the first Test against South Africa, just 72 runs away from the visitors' total. Sehwag has shared in an unbroken 255-run partnership for the second wicket with Rahul Dravid, who was on 65.

The 29-year-old Indian opener's 278-ball 300 was the fastest since the number of balls faced began to be recorded and matched the feats of Australia's Don Bradman and West Indies' Brian Lara, the only other batsmen to score Test triple hundreds twice. Sehwag, the only Indian to score a Test 300, matched his score against Pakistan at Multan in 2004 and is now eyeing Lara's record 400 not out. The number of balls faced has only been recorded in the modern era and yesterday's innings surpassed the previous best of 362 balls faced by Australia's Matthew Hayden when he scored 380 against Zimbabwe at Perth in 2003-4.

"I have no words to describe this knock," Sehwag said after the third day's play in Chennai. "This innings is even better than the one in Multan. I had to prove myself that I belong at this level. I showed lot of concentration and patience. I had a point to prove myself." Sehwag has so far hit 42 fours and five sixes in sapping heat and humidity and needed ice baths at the lunch interval and after stumps. "It is very difficult in Chennai," he said. "Because of the humidity you are sweating a lot and losing a lot of body salts."

Sehwag was dropped because of a slump in form last year and made the squads for the 2007 one-day World Cup and the Australia Test series only because the captains Rahul Dravid and his successor Anil Kumble insisted on his selection. He vindicated Kumble's faith after being recalled for the last two Australia Tests, scoring 151 in the drawn final game in Adelaide in January.

"When I was dropped I was hurt because I had a very good Test record," said Sehwag, who averages more than 50. "I wanted to prove that I am a better Test player."

He said he would have a good night's sleep before thinking about breaking Lara's record. "Tomorrow, I will try and bat one session," he said. "If I bat till lunch I will come close to Lara's record." He felt if India took a 200-run lead, they could push for a win.

South Africa's coach, Mickey Arthur, was deflated after India scored 386 runs in a day. "We were beaten by one chap today," he said last night. "In my wildest of dreams, I didn't think they would score this quickly. It was all because of one man. I tried to visualise every scenario last night but this was not one of them. We tried to do everything - bowled wide, over the wicket, round the wicket, nothing worked."

London may host IPL

Lord's and The Oval will play host to matches involving franchises from the Indian Premier League this season if the MCC and Surrey accept offers from the new tournament's organisers to stage games at their grounds. Games in the inaugural IPL season, which runs from April 18 to June 1, have already been allocated to venues in India but officials are keen to broaden the tournament's horizons and staging what would amount to exhibition matches in England would be a starting point. The MCC and Surrey declined to confirm the IPL's approach.